Obituaries

Everett Healy Olsen passed away peacefully on November 8, 2024, at 23 months old cradled in his mama’s loving arms with his daddy right beside him, after a sudden cardiac arrest at home. He made his entrance into the world in Madison, WI on December 2, 2022, to Glenn Olsen and Natalie Healy. He came into this life with a unique and complex heart that took him and his family on an equally unique and complex journey that ultimately led to the most beautiful, selfless, loving gift at 10 months old: a life-saving heart transplant. From the minute he was born with both wisdom and innocence in his eyes, he began defying odds, shattering expectations, and breezing through obstacles in his path. Everyone watched in awe as his story unfolded one miracle at a time.

Everett’s bravery and tenacity galvanized medical professionals to think critically and creatively, invent new techniques, change protocols, and try things for the very first time. A truth we hold dear to our hearts is how often we have been told how much others have learned while caring for our sweet boy and we hope that knowledge will be carried forward for decades to come to help kiddos like him and families like ours.

Affectionately known as Honey Bunny, Sweetie Boy, Baby Buffalo, Big E, Ev, GJ (Glenn Jr.), and Boo Boo Magoo, Everett developed his signature preferences and stayed true to them — playing with medical equipment over toys, driving naps over crib naps, being carried over being pushed, orange blocks and cups over all other colors, I Love You Curious George over any other book, and his beloved Ms. Rachel on YouTube over everything. He loved cuddles and songs with mama, high fives and “high foot” with daddy, and triple kisses with them both.

We take solace in the fact that he spent his entire life surrounded by people who loved and cared for him deeply. When our family grew by one it expanded exponentially. The love, support, and generosity we have experienced from friends, family, and fans near and far has been unspeakably profound — it has and will continue to sustain us and we simply cannot thank you all enough. We owe a lifetime of gratitude to our helpers everywhere, in particular: St. Mary’s NICU, UW Health PICU, Lurie Children’s Heart Center and Cardiac Care Unit, Dane County Birth to Three Program, City of Madison Fire Department, and an impressive list of specialties that supported our magical mosaic of miracles. To ALL of Everett’s medical providers, especially nurses Sammy Scoggin, Abby Allmacher, Chantelle Barlow, Randi Johnson, Hanna Drake, and Danielle Eirschele, may you be blessed in equal measure to the blessing you were to us in this life as there is no one more deserving.

Everett is survived by his parents, sisters Madison and Ayla Olsen, grandparents Tim and JoAnn Healy and Eileen Olsen, aunts Leslie (Alan) Bergstrom and Rebecca (Marc) Gerothanas, uncle Clark (Angie) Olsen, and many loving cousins and extended family members. His grandpa Mark Olsen passed away exactly two years to the day before Everett, so we know he had a guardian angel every step of the way during his time earth-side and we also know he was welcomed with big, strong arms and giggle-worthy silly faces on the other side.

To say we are proud of him and everything he accomplished in his life is a vast understatement. Grandpa Tim said it perfectly, “He’s our hero.” And he will be for eternity.

A Celebration of Life and Love will be held at The East Side Club on Saturday, December 14, 2024, between 2pm and 5pm, with stories shared beginning at 3pm. In lieu of flowers, we’d love for you to consider directly supporting the kiddos and families at Lurie Children’s Hospital: https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/ways-to-help/Ways-to-Give/toy-gift-donations/

Everett Healy Olsen is loved beyond measure with our whole hearts for our whole life.

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services

2418 N. Sherman Avenue

608-249-8257